I started this new painting today, about 30 x 24″. I painted the sky but it was too soon – so I scraped that off. Too much paint early on (when I know I will be away from it for a few days) will make for unworkable opacity. The sky should be stormy but still has to feel light. I have to try to keep my palette more muted…

When I am painting these scenes, there is always a story being told. Its a loose story, it doesn’t have to be the same one for the viewer, but somehow – the painting has to come to life. All the pipes, ducts and buildings are characters. Every thing relates or interacts with every other thing. I can’t draw in a very technical way and it tends not to interest me to try. I like the sketchy quality that comes from scrubbing the paint on roughly and letting some white show through or of drawing with the paint. And – I also like to work quickly so I can get it done and start something new.

The next painting is always a continuation of the story. It starts in a different place – but you’ll see passages or scenes show up again or places where the painting wasn’t quite resolved is handled in a different way.